Stem bolts ..how ti...
 

  You don't need to be an 'investor' to invest in Singletrack: 6 days left: 95% of target - Find out more

[Closed] Stem bolts ..how tight?

13 Posts
12 Users
0 Reactions
859 Views
Posts: 17106
Full Member
Topic starter
 

The intraweb suggests that 5nm is what's needed.
Thought I'd check how tight I tighten my bolts to. It's 8nm , is that too tight?
Tried tightening to 5nm but I could still twist my bars.


 
Posted : 20/02/2022 6:18 pm
Posts: 20675
 

What do the manufacturers of your bars and stem say?


 
Posted : 20/02/2022 6:23 pm
Posts: 0
Free Member
 

All mine seem to be 5 or 6nm.


 
Posted : 20/02/2022 6:25 pm
Posts: 0
Free Member
 

5mm is pretty standard with stems with M5 bolts, stems with M6 bolts usually a bit higher, I've seen 8nm stated on some old stems, if my bars were carbon I'd be sceptical about going that high though. Find a similar spec stem to yours and look up that stems torque settings if you can't find them for your stem.


 
Posted : 20/02/2022 6:32 pm
Posts: 1428
Full Member
 

Hope AM stem is 6-7Nm


 
Posted : 20/02/2022 6:34 pm
Posts: 0
Free Member
 

All my stems with m5 bolts using a 4mm allen key say 5nm for the face plate, an old truvativ stem I've got with m6 bolts says max 6.8nm.


 
Posted : 20/02/2022 7:03 pm
Posts: 44146
Full Member
 

Is your torque wrench accurate at those low levels? 5nm should be plenty to hold the bars in place.  I bet mine are not even that tight


 
Posted : 20/02/2022 7:07 pm
Posts: 3149
Full Member
 

It depends, my Thomson one is about 4nm whereas my RaceFace one says up to 9nm. I use friction paste so less torque is needed.

Ideally you tighten as little as possible for it to do its job


 
Posted : 20/02/2022 7:14 pm
Posts: 17106
Full Member
Topic starter
 

TJ ,I've got one of these
https://www.superstarcomponents.com/en/reviews/12864/


 
Posted : 20/02/2022 7:22 pm
Posts: 44146
Full Member
 

Hmmm - no name torque wrench .    I wouldn't trust it to be accurate enough.  Maybe my bias against the seller showing of course but 5nm should be plenty tight enough for stem faceplate bolts IMO

I would forget the torque wrench and do them up with a standard allen key  just a tweak past finger tight using the long end


 
Posted : 20/02/2022 8:02 pm
Posts: 1012
Free Member
 

I alway do mine up 6nm


 
Posted : 20/02/2022 8:08 pm
Posts: 2172
Free Member
 

Something is seriously wrong if you can move your bar at 5Nm, unless you are rocking Ape Hangers!


 
Posted : 20/02/2022 8:16 pm
Posts: 0
Free Member
 

It's all nonsense without knowing the size of the fastener - 5Nm on an M5 =/ 5Nm on a M6. Are the threads greased or loctited?

A M6, ungreased bolt at 5Nm could exert less than half the load of an M4 that's been greased at 5Nm.

Torque it to the manufacturer spec, and assemble it with/without grease as they tell you.


 
Posted : 20/02/2022 9:42 pm
Posts: 1014
Free Member
 

I had carbon bars turn in a Thomson stem I torqued up using a bontrager 5nm dedicated doodah (bought for carbon seat post when I dabbled as roadie scum). Which is why I sold the bars...

Only 10mm risers too...

Never had problems using the same thing on Hope stems I’ve on pretty much everything now... but with alu bars I don’t mind a little extra tighten if it doesn’t feel up to snuff...


 
Posted : 20/02/2022 9:43 pm

6 DAYS LEFT
We are currently at 95% of our target!